NC Paramedic students flatline their competition at Nationals

Pictured left to right: NC second-year Paramedic students Aaron Donst, Emma Santon, David Plyley and Ian Klingenberg ranked among the best in the country at the National Paramedic Competition.

Pulses were racing and hearts skipped a beat as Niagara College’s Paramedic students proved they were among Canada’s best at the National Paramedic Competition.

Held at Durham College’s Whitby campus on April 21, the competition drew teams from across the country to compete in one of three divisions: Advanced Care Paramedic, Primary Care Paramedic and Primary Care Student. In the student competition, Niagara College’s two teams – each consisting of two students – faced challengers from Durham, Loyalist, Centennial, Fleming, Algonquin, and Humber colleges.

While combined average scores from NC’s teams ranked them first overall in the student category, students Emma Stanton and Erin Donst placed second, and David Plyley and Ian Klingenberg (all second-year students at the college) placed third.

“I’m very proud of the students who have been working for months to prepare for this competition and their success is a testament to the quality of training they receive at NC that will help save lives,” said professor Rick Chandler who accompanied the students to the event. “It’s so meaningful to students and the college, and it will be a real boost to their employment opportunities since they will all be graduating in June.”

NC graduates also fared well at the event. Chris Guay (graduate of the PCP program) placed third in the PCP division and Brock Browett and Shane Eikmann, (previous graduates of the PCP and ACP program) placed second in the ACP division.

Mr. Chandler noted that NC students have consistently done well in the annual competition, which has been running since 2003. He also acknowledged the support and encouragement NC students received from Niagara EMS.

“Without them, we would not be anywhere as successful as we are,” he said.